Manny Gonzales shares the concerns of senior pickleball players at the Feb. 3 Sterling Heights City Council meeting.
By: Gary Winkelman | Sterling Heights Sentry | Published February 9, 2026
STERLING HEIGHTS — Pickleball is a popular activity in Sterling Heights, so much so that the city is opening a designated facility for players this summer.
Though that would seem to be good news for those passionate about the paddle game, one segment of players is worried what the future holds for their favorite pastime.
Older residents who have traditionally participated in pickleball at the Sterling Heights Senior Center are raising concerns about where, when and with whom they will play when the new facility is finished.
Rumors have swirled that pickleball would be discontinued at the senior center and that an “open play” model at the new facility won’t work well for senior players. Seniors also say their voice isn’t being heard and that there’s a lack of transparency on the city’s part regarding the new pickleball facility.
City officials counter that they are aware of the issues and are working toward arrangements that aim to satisfy the needs of Sterling Heights pickleballers of all ages.
“We are working on this. We’re well aware of the concerns,” City Manager Mark Vanderpool said at the Feb. 3 City Council meeting, where a group of seniors attended and aired their grievances. “We will continue to interact. There will be transparency. We are not trying to hide anything with this but, frankly speaking, the final design and shakeout of exactly how the new facility is going to operate day to day is still evolving. It’s a work in progress.”
The seniors laid out their case in a letter to city administrators and elected officials, which was signed by more than 70 individuals. Their main concerns are centered on dedicated time allocations for seniors and grouping players by ability, such as beginner, intermediate and advanced.
“We have built a strong and supportive community through pickleball — one filled with friendships, connection, and a sense of belonging. We do not want to see that community disrupted because of essential information the city failed to provide,” the letter states. “It has become clear that providing complete and transparent operational details is not a strong suit of our city government. This omission reflects a ‘take it or leave it’ approach that seems to rely on voters forgetting by the next election cycle. This was a vital piece of information, and its absence was both significant and consequential.”
Manny Gonzales, speaking on behalf of the Senior Pickleball Club at the Feb. 3 meeting, told officials, “We want to ensure that senior voices are fully heard as operational decisions are being made for the new facility.”
“We are not asking for special treatment, only fair access. A structure that allows us to continue playing safely, enjoyably and with the appropriate staff oversight that ensures that these allocations are accepted,” he said. “If these concerns are not acknowledged during the operational planning phase, we fear that they will never be acknowledged. If dedicated senior time is not built into the structure from the very beginning, it will not be added later. Regardless of any … assurances that we are given, once those facility doors open, meaningful changes will be far more difficult to implement.”
Vanderpool said that despite rumors to the contrary, pickleball will continue at the Sterling Heights Senior Center, albeit “in a more limited fashion.” He said the popularity of pickleball in the community is “a pleasant problem to have.”
Vanderpool said the new “state-of-the-art” pickleball facility on Van Dyke near 15 Mile Road will feature nine courts, “one of which will be reserved for special type functions, such as senior play.”
“We’re going to work through all this,” Vanderpool assured the seniors, but he cautioned that “I don’t think everyone’s going to be completely satisfied.”
He said pickleball, as popular as it is, isn’t the only activity officials need to make time for.
“One of the reasons we want to limit pickleball some at the senior center is because, believe it or not, there are many seniors that do not play pickleball and would like to see other activities in the gymnasium at the senior center,” Vanderpool said. “This has been requested for years, and we haven’t been able to accommodate that because pickleball consumes or encumbers a lot of the use of the gymnasium.”
Councilman Henry Yanez said, as a 68-year-old, he can relate to the concerns of other seniors about whom they are paired to play. He said the city may want to consider an addition to the senior center “and just have senior pickleball.”
“I don’t know what we’re going to do,” he said. “But the fact of the matter is we need to figure this out. We need to make time for seniors so the senior league can play.”
Mayor Pro Tem Liz Sierawski thanked the seniors for attending the meeting and said officials have heard their message and will find a solution.
“Please be patient with us,” she said. “We definitely understand your needs.”
While acknowledging the concerns seniors expressed, Mayor Michael Taylor said he believes it will be younger pickleball players scratching for playtime when the new facility opens.
“My hope is that this is going to be a facility that caters to the needs of the pickleball community, which I know is diverse, but it’s skewing more toward seniors, I would say, than towards people in their 20s,” he said.
Like other officials, however, he’s confident final plans will balance the needs of everyone in the community, seniors included.
“I think we can come up with a solution,” Taylor told the seniors. “I appreciate you guys being here. Let’s keep the dialogue going and make sure that this works for you guys, because (the new facility) is being built for pickleball players, to give the passionate pickleball players a place to play and feel comfortable.”
The city’s new pickleball facility is a nearly $10 million project that was part of the Pathway to Play and Preservation millage voters approved in November 2024.